Darshan of Muktinath
The Muktinath complex is a big complex consisting
of many shrines with Muktinath shrine in
the middle. There is an impressive gate with Garuda along with his consorts
welcoming all those want liberation. The whole compound is now surrounded by a
compound wall which was built by the devotees of Swami Narayan, who practiced severe penance here at
Muktinath and attained proficiency in
Nishkarmvat. Later he propogated Sabij yoga, the goal of which is the
realization of and service to God. There is a monument inside the complex for
Swaminarayan in which the feet of Lord Vishnu is also installed.
Entrance arch of Muktinath complex
( Garuda & snakes)
Diagram of the Muktinath temple complex
Three giant prayer wheels near the entrance
Nearer to the entrance are three giant prayer wheels. According to the Tibetan Buddhist faith, turning a prayer wheel containing 100 million mantras on paper accumulates the same merit as having recited those same 100 million mantras.There are a row of small prayer wheel behind the gate.
Vishnu paduka Mandir
Swami Narayan
The devotees this Swami constructed the compound wall off rrhe complex recently
Yagna Sala
Thirumangai Azhwar Tamil Hymns
Thirumangai Azhwar Tamil Hymns
The
first shrine which we see once we enter into the comple is Changtho Gompa, one
can find the beautiful statues of Buddha, Avalikitheswara and Padmasambhava in
this shrine. The Buddhist Lamas and nuns who take care of the complex stay in
this Gompa. Next to the Gompa is the
yagna Sala in front of this building the
board with the Sweet Tamil hymns of
Thirumangai Azhwar is kept. We felt proud that at this elevation also Tamil has
vibrated. Now with all the flights, buses, bikes it is very difficult to reach
Muktinath, but in those days how Tirumangai Azhwar and other great saints would have travelled we wondered.
Shiva - Parvati
Giant Shalagrahma shila
Next
shrine is the Shiva-Parvathi shrine, this is in Panchathayana style with Shiva in the middle and on four corners four smaller shrines for
Ganesha, Rama, Krishna and Vishnu. In the central shrine we can worship Shiva
Parvathi as icons and there is also a giant Shalagrama the anionic form of
Shiva. Nandhi the mount of Shiva also installed in front of the Lord. This is
the only purely Hindu shrine in this complex. Where as the all other shrines are holy for both Hindus and
Buddhists. This shrine also built in typical pagoda style with three storeyed
roof.
Central Mukthinath Shrine
On the opposite side we have the monument of Swami
Narayan called Vishnu Mandir, about which we saw earlier with feet of Vishnu.
The path way to the central shrine is lined with tall trees which is a
specialty of Muktinath and a stream of Kali Gamdaki also flows on one side. We slowly walked towards the main central
shrine. Between the Vishnu Mandir and the main temple of
Muktinath there is a monument referring to those who contributed to the temple.
We were very happy when we reached the main temple.
It’s only by the grace of Muktinath one could come near Him and worship him. We
were lucky that he called us. We first
took bath in the 108 water falls surrounding the shrine and in the two tanks.
The 108 water falls represent the 108 Divya Desams and this thirtham can wash
away any bad karma forus Hindus. Where
as for Buddhists these represent the 84 Mahasiddhas. When Padma Sambava
visited Muktinath along with the 84 Mahasiddhas they brought the holy Manasarovar water here for the benefit of pilgrims by poking a
stick into ground miraculously from those 84 holes 84 springs of water came out
from the ground. So the water is believed to be the sacred water it tastes both sweet and cooling.
108 water falls
This is described in the following way in Tibetan
Buddhist scriptures:
At the one
hundred and eight springs,
The eighty accomplished masters
Each made a reservoir in the earth.
From the heatless turquoise Lake Manasarovar
They brought the finest, blessed water.
"In a future time of decline,
There will be many sentient beings who will commit negative acts,
Such as those of immediate retribution.
They will be reborn in the hell of unceasing torment.
To guide those sentient beings,
We consecrate
The hundred and eight springs,
That even by drinking a mouthful of this water,
They will not have to experience the sufferings of such torment:
Let alone other forms of suffering."
They thereby expressed their great wishes for beings' benefit.
After having concealed this as a precious treasure,
One hundred and eight springs later appeared.
The eighty accomplished masters
Each made a reservoir in the earth.
From the heatless turquoise Lake Manasarovar
They brought the finest, blessed water.
"In a future time of decline,
There will be many sentient beings who will commit negative acts,
Such as those of immediate retribution.
They will be reborn in the hell of unceasing torment.
To guide those sentient beings,
We consecrate
The hundred and eight springs,
That even by drinking a mouthful of this water,
They will not have to experience the sufferings of such torment:
Let alone other forms of suffering."
They thereby expressed their great wishes for beings' benefit.
After having concealed this as a precious treasure,
One hundred and eight springs later appeared.
( For all the
details about Muktinath w.r.t Buddhisn the source is www.muktinath.org my sincere
thanks to them )
Cow's mouth
Now the waters of Kali Gantaki has been diverted into
these 108 streams. The water was very cold when it touched our body it was as
if 1000 of blades, but the body adjusted
quickly to the cold water, we
circumbulated the temple in this waterfalls and had the ritual bath in both the
lakes. The spout of the water fall is in the shape of a cows mouth ( Gomukh) the exceptions being the first and the last
spout which is in the shape of dragon.
A beautiful carving on the front door
After the ritual bath
we entered the main shrine, In
front of the Muktinath shrine there is
an entrance pavillion, as a shelter in the winter. This pavilion is
attached to the Muktinath temple only some decades ago, the doors of
the pavilion are adorned with intricately carved wooden statues which is a
treat to the eyes. There is one circumambulation path and we came around the path
on the left side of the pavilion is situated a Yagna pit above it, the statues of Ramanuja one
the acharyas of Shrivaishnavaism and most influential
philosophers of India, Andal, Manavala Mahamunigal are installed by Chinna jeeyar Swamigal in the year 2009.
Sri Murthi
The building of the current main temple is initated
by Queen Subarna Prabha, the second wife of Shah Rana Bahadur (1775-1806), King
of Nepal, after she had a dream. In 1815 AD
the temple at Muktinath was built, as can be read on a bronze plaque in
the temple. It is built in the typical
pagoda style of a Hindu temple in Kathmandu Valley and is three storeyed. It is
dedicated to the Lord of Salvation ( Mukti
Nath), Lord Vishnu, the Buddhists call him asChenrezig( Avalokitesvara). There is an interesting story about the
statues.
In
the past, Avalokithesvara and the two
dakinis to his right and left, were self-arisen statues, made of copper. They
resided in the region of Dzum-lang but saw that their benefit for sentient
beings would take place in Chumig Gyatsa. They flew through the air and arrived
here. The king of Dzum-lang searched everywhere for them and heard that they
were located at Chumig Gyatsa. To bring them back to his country, he came with
a strong army of his subjects. As they carried the statues back to their
previous home, they reached as far as Drak-zur [literally, Cliff-Corner, the
point after which Chumig Gyatsa can no longer be seen]. They managed to carry
the statues no further and had to put them on the ground. Then the king, his sons,
and subjects were unable by any means to lift the statues again. Unable to do
anything else, the king brought the statues back to their new home and enlarged
its location. He then returned to his country. From that time forth, when
people from Dzum-lang visit this place on pilgrimage, they cry to the statue,
complaining, "Since you no longer live among us, we have to undergo great
hardships crossing a river on our way here." This custom continues to the
present day.
முக்தி நாராயணரின் திருமுக மண்டலம்
Buddha Nara- Narayana
In the sanctum Lord
Vishnu is seated in a lotus holding
Conch, Chakra, lotus and mace in his four hands along with His consorts Shree
Devi and Boo Devi.. Buddhists worship
them as Dakinis The compassion in His eyes is really mesmerizing. The statue is
covered with copper and life size, it appears as if Muktinath is talking with us He is decorated with silver
crown, ear rings, silk, pearls diamonds and Garlands. The bed of Lord Vishnu
serves him as a his umbrella here.
Along with them are the statues of
Buddha, Nara-Narayana (some call them as Lava-Kusa sons of Lord Rama), Lord
Ganesh, the mount of the Vishnu Garuda in standing position with folded hands
ready to seve the Lord. In Tibet Garuda is known as Khuyng and is a protective spirit in Tibetan Buddhism,
mountain and clan deity, and a tutelary figure of lamas and spirit-mediums; the
bird which serves as messenger of Mahakala.
Ramanuja Ganesh Garuda
The hymns
of the Thirumangai Azhwar end with visit Muktinath indicating that it is
very difficult to come here. Azhwar in
his hymns tells that the Lord Muktinath is Rama and Krishna, the incarnations of Lord Vishnu, so he tells devotees to visit Muktinath. He also tells that the Lord who
is residing in Kanchi (Thiru ooragam),
Kumbakonam and Thirupper (some of the 108 Divya Desams of Lord Vishnu) is the Lord resing at Muktinath.
Mukthinath, Ramanuja and Garudan are adorned
with Thiruman the sign Vaishnavites. We
felt blessed to have His darshan and chanted the hymns of Azhwars before him.
The nun presented the Holy water (Thirtham) and Satari the holy feer of the
Lord on our head as a mark of blessing as it is done in the south Indian Vishnu
temples and gave us prasadam. Thirumangai Azhwar in his last hyman tells one to
just chant the thousand names of the Lord at Muktinath for liberation. Our
whole group sat in the circumambulation
path and chanted the one thousand names of Lord Vishnu. We also conducted a
yagna in the yagna pit and prayed to Ramanuja.
Garuda
Mukthinath,
Ramanuja and Garudan are adorned with Thiruman the sign Vaishnavites. We felt blessed to have His darshan and
chanted the hymns of Azhwars before him. The nun presented the Holy water
(Thirtham) and Satari the holy feer of the Lord on our head as a mark of
blessing as it is done in the south Indian Vishnu temples and gave us prasadam.
Thirumangai Azhwar in his last hyman tells one to just chant the thousand names
of the Lord at Muktinath for liberation. Our whole group sat in the circumbulation path and chanted
the one thousand names of Lord Vishnu. We also conducted a yagna in the yagna
pit and prayed to Ramanuja.
Ramanuja Andal and Manavala Ma Munigal
Other than
these shrines there are two more Gompas in the complex, one is situated in the
Northern corner located at a higher
elevation to the central shrine and is called the Narsingh Gompa. In this
shrine is the statue of famous Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava the statue was sculpted by him so as to look
like him before he left for Tibet.
There are
many little stupas or chortens at Muktinath. One
is very special. If one leans with their
elbows on the wooden bar in the opening of this chorten and put their head down to the bottom, they can hear the sound of a water operated prayer
wheel. Some can hear the muscial sound
of Dakinis or the goddess Naga. It is even said that any deaf person can
get rid of deafness with the help of this musical sound.
Eternal fire
In the southern corner of the Muktinath complex, the Mebar Lhakang Gompa - also called the Salamebar Dolamebar Gompa or the Jwala Mai Temple, is situated. It is here that one can find the eternal burning flames of natural gas: Sale Mebar (burning soil); Do Mebar (burning stone) and Kla Mebar (burning water).The 'burning water' (natural gas coming through a water stream while brunring) inside the Fire Gompa represents the union of the opposite elements. Some Hindus interpret them as a gift from Brahma, who is said to have made offering here by setting the water afire. Other Hindus at the site mentioned they belief it's a manifestation of Brahma. Others mentioned that it is Agni, the fire-God or Jwala Mai, the goddess of fire.
Outwardly, it is the lord-protectors of the three kinds of beings.
The fire from water is All-Seeing One (Chenrézi);
The fire from earth is Gentle Splendor (Manjushri);
And the fire from stone is Lord of Secrets (Vajrapani).
Inwardly,
the three poisonous obscuring emotions are burned:
Fire burn in the water of purified desire;
Fire burns in the earth of purified anger;
And fire burns in the stone of purified stupidity.
Fire burn in the water of purified desire;
Fire burns in the earth of purified anger;
And fire burns in the stone of purified stupidity.
Secretly,
this is the non-dual union of the male and female deities:
Fire burns in the water of transcendent knowledge;
Fire burns in the earth of skilful means;
And fire burns stably within the stone of union.
Fire burns in the water of transcendent knowledge;
Fire burns in the earth of skilful means;
And fire burns stably within the stone of union.
The Gompa is now used a study place for
the nuns and children ofwho take care of
the complex.
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